I've spent nearly three hours inside an MRI this afternoon, with my neck and head clamped into place, so that I couldn't move. It was the longest and most stressful session I think I've had yet. The claustrophobia really got to me toward the end.
Since then, I've had a Vicodin and am spending the rest of the evening in my new recliner...whittling down my Netflix queue. I was hoping to spend some quality time with my family, but this disease had other plans for me.
Quickly looking at the images, it appears that I may have a number of small lesions on my brain. I also have a shocking number of herniations throughout my spine. If there are lesions, it means that I have MS.
The thought of MS is quite a blow, but it will be good to finally have a name to associate with how I've been feeling. With a recent dose of steroids, I'm feeling better now than I have since August of last year. You can probably tell, since I've written more this week than I have all year.
My neurologist appointment has been moved up from June 28th to June 11. Hopefully, we'll have some news then.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Sunday, May 26, 2013
I FEEL GREAT!!!....Damn.....
If you have been following this blog for any extended period of time, you'll know of the medical issues I've had in recent years. Functioning from day to day would be difficult enough, if I had just one of the many conditions that I am forced to deal with.
As a quick recap, in June 2009, I was diagnosed with Tourette's Syndrome. The following month, I was diagnosed with PTSD. I had taken short term disability from work, from early February of that year, until mid-July. When I came back, I lasted two days, before I was vomiting in the waste basket at my desk and crying in the bathroom stalls. Needless to say, I haven't worked a day since.
In March of 2011, I started developing a number of unusual symptoms. I won't go into details. But, if you're interested, you can read more about them here.
So, March of 2011, I was diagnosed with a Chiari Malformation and Type 2 Diabetes. A month later, I was diagnosed with a herniated disc at L5 S1. In June, I had a partial discectomy. In September, another partial discectomy and a spinal fusion. No change in symptoms.
In January of 2012, doctors discovered a massive benign cyst, resting against the pineal gland, in the center of my brain. It's inoperable, but everyone agrees that it shouldn't be causing any of the symptoms that I currently have.
In September of 2012, my allergist discovered that I have Sjogren's Syndrome, almost by accident. He thought that some of my symptoms could be due to a food allergy. I had been told before that I was allergic to gluten. After testing 87 different foods (and gluten), everything came back negative. I reacted worse to the saline, than on any of the allergens tested. On a whim, he ordered an auto-immune panel.
If you're unfamiliar with Sjogren's, it's an auto-immune disease that attacks the moisture and mucus producing glands in your body. The most common symptoms are dry eyes and a dry mouth. It can manifest a number of symptoms that mimic other diseases, like lupus or Multiple Sclerosis. Speaking for myself, I constantly have a dry mouth. For someone that doesn't smoke, I certainly have had my fair share of cottonmouth and pot lip. My nose gets so dry, that I have random nosebleeds throughout the day. Also, the wax in my ears has all but disappeared. I'm on medication right now to help me produce saliva.
Since maybe October or November of 2011, I have had increasing and worsening issues with pain and neuropathy. Occasionally, I'll have electric jolts jump through my body. At times, I have a sudden, sharp pain, as if someone had just amputated my hand or my leg. Lately, I have pain on the soles of my feet and on my fingertips, that feel like a quick deep paper cut. I have constant joint and muscle pain, often associated with lupus or a severe case of Sjogren's.
I also have an issue where, regardless of what I've done that day, my body shuts down at approximately 3PM every day. It's not a feeling of exhaustion. My brain literally starts shutting itself down. Within a matter of minutes, I stop thinking clearly. I start slurring my words. And, if I don't get to my bed, I'll just fall asleep wherever I'm sitting. Most days, I wake up not even remembering falling asleep.
I scheduled an appointment with my neurologist, because the pain has become unbearable. I do my best not to take any narcotics. I come from a long line of addicts and alcoholics. Last thing I need is to become hooked on opiates. In any event, I have been dealing with this long enough to know that my pain was neurological, and not rheumotological in nature.
My neurologist had finally received the test results from when I was originally hospitalized in March 2011. At that time, a spinal tap was done. Both to test for Multiple Sclerosis, and to complete a CT myleogram to get a clearer image of my spine. He said that the lab results showed extremely high protein levels in my spinal fluid. If he was to diagnose me, solely based on those lab results, he would say that I have Multiple Sclerosis. I have a full set of MRIs on Tuesday to check for lesions or demylination on the nerves in my spinal cord. In the meantime, he was going to start basic treatment AS IF I have Multiple Sclerosis. On Thursday morning, I was placed on a heavy dose of steroids. My Lyrica was doubled, to 300mg twice a day. And, I was placed on Clonodine. In addition to helping with Tourette's tics, Clonodine works well in connection with other nerve medications, like Lyrica, to reduce nerve pain.
The last three days are the best I have felt in close to six months. I haven't had that daily "crash". My pain, both joint and nerve pain, are virtually gone. I still have a little pain here and there, but it's nothing that a couple of ibuprofen can't handle. Occasionally, I'll still get lightheaded. I still have double vision from time to time. But, I don't have the brain fog or confusion like I used to. Honestly, I feel GREAT!
And...that's a problem.
It looks like I have MS. It makes sense. For years now, I've had every single symptom listed for the disease. As of yet, I haven't had any detectable lesions. Then again, 15-20% of those with Multiple Sclerosis have no lesions show on an MRI. Maybe, I'm part of that 15-20%.
It's refreshing to finally see the light at the end of this tunnel. I really believe that we're getting close to having a definitive answer. No more guessing. No more useless blood tests and MRIs. No more clueless doctors. I know what's wrong.
Holy shit. I know what's wrong. That's fucking scary. I've seen MS progression in other people. And, while everyone is different, I have an idea as to what to expect in the coming years. It's not going to be pretty. While medication and therapy will improve my quality of life, it's all downhill from here. It's really a bittersweet moment in my life.
I'm still trying to wrap my head around everything. This is something that, two years ago, every neurologist I spoke with said, "No. It's not possible.". I put the possibility of MS out of my head, and was able to focus my energy on those that were chronic, but not as debilitating. This is a difficult possibility to accept.
I really don't know where to go from here. I'm going to have to make a number of big changes in my life. We're living in the worst major metropolitan city in the nation for someone with MS. Needless to say, Nadia and I are going to have to make some important decisions in the near future.
At least I have an answer. It may not be the answer I've been looking for. But, in the end, it's better than not knowing at all.
As a quick recap, in June 2009, I was diagnosed with Tourette's Syndrome. The following month, I was diagnosed with PTSD. I had taken short term disability from work, from early February of that year, until mid-July. When I came back, I lasted two days, before I was vomiting in the waste basket at my desk and crying in the bathroom stalls. Needless to say, I haven't worked a day since.
In March of 2011, I started developing a number of unusual symptoms. I won't go into details. But, if you're interested, you can read more about them here.
So, March of 2011, I was diagnosed with a Chiari Malformation and Type 2 Diabetes. A month later, I was diagnosed with a herniated disc at L5 S1. In June, I had a partial discectomy. In September, another partial discectomy and a spinal fusion. No change in symptoms.
In January of 2012, doctors discovered a massive benign cyst, resting against the pineal gland, in the center of my brain. It's inoperable, but everyone agrees that it shouldn't be causing any of the symptoms that I currently have.
In September of 2012, my allergist discovered that I have Sjogren's Syndrome, almost by accident. He thought that some of my symptoms could be due to a food allergy. I had been told before that I was allergic to gluten. After testing 87 different foods (and gluten), everything came back negative. I reacted worse to the saline, than on any of the allergens tested. On a whim, he ordered an auto-immune panel.
If you're unfamiliar with Sjogren's, it's an auto-immune disease that attacks the moisture and mucus producing glands in your body. The most common symptoms are dry eyes and a dry mouth. It can manifest a number of symptoms that mimic other diseases, like lupus or Multiple Sclerosis. Speaking for myself, I constantly have a dry mouth. For someone that doesn't smoke, I certainly have had my fair share of cottonmouth and pot lip. My nose gets so dry, that I have random nosebleeds throughout the day. Also, the wax in my ears has all but disappeared. I'm on medication right now to help me produce saliva.
Since maybe October or November of 2011, I have had increasing and worsening issues with pain and neuropathy. Occasionally, I'll have electric jolts jump through my body. At times, I have a sudden, sharp pain, as if someone had just amputated my hand or my leg. Lately, I have pain on the soles of my feet and on my fingertips, that feel like a quick deep paper cut. I have constant joint and muscle pain, often associated with lupus or a severe case of Sjogren's.
I also have an issue where, regardless of what I've done that day, my body shuts down at approximately 3PM every day. It's not a feeling of exhaustion. My brain literally starts shutting itself down. Within a matter of minutes, I stop thinking clearly. I start slurring my words. And, if I don't get to my bed, I'll just fall asleep wherever I'm sitting. Most days, I wake up not even remembering falling asleep.
I scheduled an appointment with my neurologist, because the pain has become unbearable. I do my best not to take any narcotics. I come from a long line of addicts and alcoholics. Last thing I need is to become hooked on opiates. In any event, I have been dealing with this long enough to know that my pain was neurological, and not rheumotological in nature.
My neurologist had finally received the test results from when I was originally hospitalized in March 2011. At that time, a spinal tap was done. Both to test for Multiple Sclerosis, and to complete a CT myleogram to get a clearer image of my spine. He said that the lab results showed extremely high protein levels in my spinal fluid. If he was to diagnose me, solely based on those lab results, he would say that I have Multiple Sclerosis. I have a full set of MRIs on Tuesday to check for lesions or demylination on the nerves in my spinal cord. In the meantime, he was going to start basic treatment AS IF I have Multiple Sclerosis. On Thursday morning, I was placed on a heavy dose of steroids. My Lyrica was doubled, to 300mg twice a day. And, I was placed on Clonodine. In addition to helping with Tourette's tics, Clonodine works well in connection with other nerve medications, like Lyrica, to reduce nerve pain.
The last three days are the best I have felt in close to six months. I haven't had that daily "crash". My pain, both joint and nerve pain, are virtually gone. I still have a little pain here and there, but it's nothing that a couple of ibuprofen can't handle. Occasionally, I'll still get lightheaded. I still have double vision from time to time. But, I don't have the brain fog or confusion like I used to. Honestly, I feel GREAT!
And...that's a problem.
It looks like I have MS. It makes sense. For years now, I've had every single symptom listed for the disease. As of yet, I haven't had any detectable lesions. Then again, 15-20% of those with Multiple Sclerosis have no lesions show on an MRI. Maybe, I'm part of that 15-20%.
It's refreshing to finally see the light at the end of this tunnel. I really believe that we're getting close to having a definitive answer. No more guessing. No more useless blood tests and MRIs. No more clueless doctors. I know what's wrong.
Holy shit. I know what's wrong. That's fucking scary. I've seen MS progression in other people. And, while everyone is different, I have an idea as to what to expect in the coming years. It's not going to be pretty. While medication and therapy will improve my quality of life, it's all downhill from here. It's really a bittersweet moment in my life.
I'm still trying to wrap my head around everything. This is something that, two years ago, every neurologist I spoke with said, "No. It's not possible.". I put the possibility of MS out of my head, and was able to focus my energy on those that were chronic, but not as debilitating. This is a difficult possibility to accept.
I really don't know where to go from here. I'm going to have to make a number of big changes in my life. We're living in the worst major metropolitan city in the nation for someone with MS. Needless to say, Nadia and I are going to have to make some important decisions in the near future.
At least I have an answer. It may not be the answer I've been looking for. But, in the end, it's better than not knowing at all.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
The Most WTF-Worthy Video of 2013
I have no idea what's going on here. I can't tell if this is supposed to be comical or not. It's just really fucking weird....and creepy as fuck. Prepare yourself.
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Monday, January 21, 2013
My New Favorite Cover
From The Great Book of John comes a cover of INXS' 1988 'Never Tear Us Apart'. It's a beautiful rendition of the tune. Almost as if Jeff Buckley and The Black Keys got together to perform it. It has been on repeat, either on iTunes or Vimeo, for the last three days. Speaking of iTunes, it looks like that's the only place you're able to purchase the single. Enjoy.
Sunday, January 20, 2013
How Do You Find A Vegan At A Dinner Party...Or, "Why I Rarely Go Onto Tumblr"
I swear. No one on that website has a sense of humor. Must you be outraged over EVERYTHING?!
Get Me A Ferret At The Fancy Pawn Shop...And Get A Beard
If you've been following me over the last couple of years, you'd probably guess that I'm not much of a football fan. Today will determine who is going to the Super Bowl in two weeks. At the moment, it looks like the 49ers, and either the Ravens or the Patriots. Personally, I'm rooting for the Ravens. Only because my in-laws are big Broncos fans, and I'm obligated to cheer for the team that ruined their hopes for a championship.
Anyways....what was I going to write about?
OH...With today being a big football day, I thought I would share this video. Whether you like football or not, you'll get a kick out of this. Very funny.
Anyways....what was I going to write about?
OH...With today being a big football day, I thought I would share this video. Whether you like football or not, you'll get a kick out of this. Very funny.
Monday, December 31, 2012
Goodbye 2012, You Amazing, Crazy, Shit Stain Of A Year
Let's face it, 2012 sucked. There's no other way to say it. For a number of reasons (that I don't have the patience or time to explain) this year has, quite possibly, been the worst ever. In regards to technology and world events, this year brought us a number of amazing moments. For better or for worse, the morning brings us an opportunity to start over and try to make the world around us a better place.
By the way, I thought this was incredibly interesting. At the :58 mark, when they're doing a search for "for a change", "Stop SOPA" comes up in the search results.
By the way, I thought this was incredibly interesting. At the :58 mark, when they're doing a search for "for a change", "Stop SOPA" comes up in the search results.
Mashup Monday - Year End Movie Edition
I usually share the year-end "Filmographies" of Gen Ip. This year, I think Matt Shapiro has done a much better job at capturing the emotion of this year's films. This is five minutes and fifty two seconds of brilliant editing work. Enjoy.
Mashup Monday - End Of The Year Edition
Every December, YouTube is bombarded with year-end pop music mashups. This is one of the better ones. I particularly liked it because, as the video plays, the bottom of the screen lists what tracks are being mixed. I can't say that I'm familiar with some of the songs in the video. I certainly can't say that I'm a fan of some of them, either. However, I can say that Daniel Kim has done a spectacular job.
In case you lost count, there were 55 tracks in eight minutes.
In case you lost count, there were 55 tracks in eight minutes.
We're Expecting.....
...the coming Apocalypse.
TMZ reported this morning, that Kim Kardashian is pregnant...with Kanye West's baby. It seems that the Mayans were about six months off.
Poor kid's going to be nothing but ass and teeth. Seven pounds three ounces of uncontrolled ego.
"But when you get on, he leave yo ass for a white girl...."
TMZ reported this morning, that Kim Kardashian is pregnant...with Kanye West's baby. It seems that the Mayans were about six months off.
Poor kid's going to be nothing but ass and teeth. Seven pounds three ounces of uncontrolled ego.
"But when you get on, he leave yo ass for a white girl...."
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
